Typical three-wheel vehicles having a single rear wheel and a pair of front wheels are based on a motorcycle-like design and include a frame onto which all mechanical, electrical and fairing or bodywork components are mounted. The frame typically extends from the rear suspension of the vehicle to the front portion or nose of the vehicle beyond the front wheels and front suspension of the vehicle. Bodywork panels are mounted to the frame to give the vehicle an aesthetically pleasing look. Because motorcycles and motorcycle-like vehicles typically do not have a trunk, a pair of cargo boxes (or saddle bags) are sometimes used for carrying various items. The cargo boxes are typically mounted to the frame at the rear of the vehicle, one cargo box on each side of the vehicle.
Some models of motorcycles come with the cargo boxes already mounted on the frame of the vehicle, while other models have optional cargo boxes available as an add-on kit for mounting the cargo boxes. The add-on kit usually comprises a rack on which the cargo box is to be mounted and fasteners to connect the rack to the frame. The kit may also include the cargo box. Some vehicles, however, have not been designed for accommodating the cargo boxes and the mounting racks, and for these vehicles the available kits can be difficult to adapt.
The rack on which the cargo box (or saddle bag) is mounted, is typically secured directly to the frame by fasteners. In some cases the mounting system has been designed for being removable when the cargo box is not being used. A user who has a removable mounting system and who does not wish to ride with the cargo box has to remove the cargo box from the rack and then remove the rack from the frame. When the mounting system has not been designed for being removable, the rack has to stay on the vehicle when the cargo box is removed from the rack, which leaves an unpleasant look to the vehicle.
In both cases, the mounting system can be difficult to remove. When the rack is not designed to be removable, trying to remove the rack from the frame can damage the mounting system. When the rack is removable, the fasteners are hard to access and a user typically experience difficulties when disassembling the mounting system.
In all the above described configurations, the difficulty of mounting as well as the parts of the mounting system that remain exposed when the cargo boxes are removed from the vehicle do not satisfy users of the vehicle.
Therefore, there is a need for a mounting system that would allow for a more aesthetically pleasing look when the cargo boxes are not mounted onto a vehicle.
There is also a need for an easy system for mounting a rack onto a frame of the vehicle as part of a mounting system for a cargo box.
Finally, there is a need for a kit for mounting a cargo box onto a vehicle.